This invention relates to cabinets having sliding flexible doors, and in particular, to a braking mechanism for a sliding flexible door.
One style of cabinet can comprise an enclosure having an opening which is selectively closed by a sliding flexible door. The flexible door is slidably mounted to the enclosure with the enclosure and door comprising the total cabinet.
In cabinets of a relatively large size, the flexible door may be of a considerable weight so that as the door nears the end of its travel from either the open to the closed position or the closed to the open position, gravitational forces exerted upon the door cause it to rapidly increase its speed of travel. The result of which is that in the absence of any braking mechanism the door may either slam closed or slam open. Both of these results are undesirable.
Heretofore, cabinets utilizing a flexible door slidably mounted to the enclosure thereof have used a spring force biasing arrangement that is permanently mounted to the door. While this arrangement has not been unsatisfactory, it has resulted in the biasing arrangement constantly exerting a force on the door. In other words, a force is exerted on the door at points during the travel thereof when the force is not needed. The result of which is that the door does not operate with optimum ease and efficiency at all points along its travel.
It would thus be desirable to provide an improved cabinet utilizing a sliding flexible door having a braking mechanism wherein the braking mechanism selectively engages the door only at times when the force exerted by the braking mechanism is required.